Hazelnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

A cookie that tastes like Nutella? Uh, yeah. Yep, that’s what we’re making today.

A COOKIE that tastes like NUTELLA! Why, you ask, wouldn’t I just make a Nutella cookie? Considering the huge number of those recipes floating around on Pinterest that’s a totally fair question.

And my answer probably won’t surprise you. Nutella is yet another item on the miles-long list of things in whose presence I have zero self control. (See also: Oreos, Cadbury eggs, coconut butter, and roasted salted cashews.) I do not bring such deliciousness into my home for fear that I’ll quickly outgrow my entire wardrobe.

But a cookie that combines chocolate and hazelnut flavors is absolutely something I can get behind. Because I can stop at just one cookie. Sometimes.

I’m posting a cookie recipe today because Mondays call for cookies. And because I thought a cookie recipe was the best way to introduce you to a very sweet addition to my life: my new dog whose name just happens to be Cookie!

I’ll post a photo of her someday when she actually lets me remove her from my lap long enough to take one. Cookie was found running across a busy street in Baja California and I couldn’t be more grateful to the Good Samaritan who found her and took her to an animal sanctuary. She’s an adorably affectionate little creature and I’m so happy to be her forever mom.

I signed her adoption papers April 1 and so far I’ve determined that she hates peanut butter (I love her anyway) and loves pumpkin (good thing because so do I).

These delicious hazelnut chocolate chunk cookies are the perfect way to celebrate her sweet, sweet nature. The recipe comes from the incomparable Flour cookbook—if you love to bake you need this book. I’ve had the recipe bookmarked for years and only just got around to making it, but were worth waiting for. Some of the nuts are ground to a fine meal and stirred in with the flour, giving every bite tons of nutty flavor.

And oh my goodness, the chocolate! Don’t use chocolate chips; use chocolate bars and chop them up. Chocolate chips have stabilizers that prevent them from melting too much but chocolate bars melt more and create these oozy layers and hunks of chocolate that are totally irresistible. (As irresistible as my new little Cookie!)

Happy Monday evening! I hope you make these cookies a part of your Tuesday!

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add eggs and vanilla and continue beating on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes more, until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Scrape the bowl again as necessary.

In a food processor, pulse 1/2 cup of the hazelnuts until you have a fine meal. Take care not to over-process or you’ll have hazelnut butter instead. Roughly chop remaining 1 cup of hazelnuts.

Combine ground and chopped hazelnuts, flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate in a medium mixing bowl. Stir together to combine. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until flour is just incorporated and chocolate and nuts are evenly distributed.

Cover bowl tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.**

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies are golden around edges and slightly soft in the center. Set baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Unbaked dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

*To toast nuts: spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 275-degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until nuts are just slightly fragrant.

** You can skip this step and bake the cookies immediately but “resting” the dough will concentrate the flavors and prevent the cookies from spreading as much when they bake.

About

Hey there! I’m Kelsie and this is where I share my buttery, sugary, and all-around delicious recipes. I LOVE to bake and I want you to love baking too, so all of my recipes are totally do-able for the home baker. If you need a little dessert in your life, consider this your one-stop shop for anything sweet! Need a little more info? Here you go!